Theogony
by hanyou
Summary: Once upon a time, we had the Moon / We had the stars / We were divine. This is the story of their failures and their triumphs; their sorrows and their joys. This is the origin of the gods. PGSM-based Silver Millennium; Rei/Minako. *CHAPTER 1 UP*
1. Prologue: Prophecy

_Prologue: Prophecy_

~*~

Sergius tore through his cramped study like a Jovian thunderstorm, pulling books off shelves and rifling through thick stacks of paper that towered precariously on a small, rickety desk. He paused to hastily wipe the sweat from his brow with his sleeve, trying -- in vain -- to calm himself. It was unbelievable. The moment at hand was finally here, and he could find absolutely none of the paperwork he had so meticulously kept over the years.

Outside the room, he could hear the clamor of palace guards and Lunarian politicians as they shouted to each other, swept up in the fervor of gossip and good news.

"The queen's finally given birth," one of them said.

"Aye, and I hear it's a girl-child too," another added.

"Imagine that!" someone else chimed in. "A princess at last!"

Realizing that he still had something to find, Sergius flew back into action. To his relief, he was soon rewarded, and he cleared off his desk in one impatient swoop. Smoothing out the papers, he studied the carefully calculated charts of celestial bodies and the notes scribbled in their margins. He flipped through a few more pages; blanched when he saw the most recent that he had composed.

There was no mistaking it. First the births of the others, and now this?

His hands trembling, Sergius quickly rolled the charts into loose, sloppy scrolls. As a royal cleric and astronomer, it was his sworn duty to tell the queen as soon as possible. He ran to his door; paused in front of it to wipe his brow again.

Sergius then burst free from his study, flinging himself into the herd of people making their way toward the throne room. With little regard for manners or propriety, he pushed himself along, his urgency continuing to mount as he got closer to his queen. At last, the familiar towering doors of the chamber appeared and he barreled through them, ignoring the stinging pain in his shoulder and the shouts of guards behind him.

"My Queen!" he yelled, charging into the throne room and nearly losing his footing on the slick marble floor. Lunarian dignitaries turned toward him in shock, appalled by his outburst and lack of protocol.

Sergius paid them no heed, continuing his reckless charge until he reached the dais where the Queen sat. "The Princess!" he gasped, letting his scrolls -- his very life's work -- tumble from his grip as he stared at the newborn in unadulterated awe and terror. "She -- it has been foretold!" Incapable of further speech, the cleric collapsed, prostrating himself in front of his current and future rulers.

Royal guards on either side of the queen exchanged glances, taking a step toward the man who huddled in a quivering mass on the floor. But the queen waved them off, a serene smile on her ethereal face.

"I already know, noble monk," she said, her voice soothing and appreciative. "She is special indeed."

Sergius's head bolted up; he grasped uselessly at his papers as mouth opened and closed. "But -- My Queen -- "

Deciding they had had enough of his impudence, the palace guards moved menacingly toward the astronomer. Heedless of the danger, Sergius continued to gather his scrolls, mumbling feverishly to himself. When each of his arms was seized in a powerful hold, he cried out, struggling and twisting in helpless desperation. The guards hauled him out of the room, much to the relief of the dignitaries that had watched the exchange in horrified disbelief.

The queen, enchanted with her child, paid the scuffle no mind. "Artemis," she called.

A silver-haired youth emerged from the shadows of the throne room, clasping a hand to his chest and bowing deeply. "My Lady," he acknowledged with reverence.

She smiled at the loyal retainer, for she would miss his faithfulness. "You are to head to Venus at once," she ordered. "The queen and her daughter await."

"As Her Majesty wishes," he replied, whiskers sprouting from his cheeks and his pupils narrowing into slits. Within moments, there was only a small, white feline where a boy had once stood. The cat melted into the throng, navigating gracefully through the tangle of admirers and well-wishers.

"Your Majesty!" a young girl shouted, darting up to the queen breathlessly and with her eyes shining in excitement. She took a moment to smooth her robes and compose herself before continuing, clearly embarrassed by her own outburst. "The people demand to see their princess," she said, unable to keep the eagerness from trickling back into her voice.

The queen chuckled at her enthusiasm, standing from the throne and cradling the sleeping infant in a firm but gentle hold. "So it shall be done, Luna."

As the girl ran ahead, the queen looked once again at her daughter, tracing her porcelain face with a delicate fingertip. "Little one," she whispered. "You will be heiress to the Moon like none has ever been before."

~*~

_A/N: Well, hello . This is the first Sailor Moon story I've uploaded and the first story I've uploaded, period, in five years. Theogony has been a pet project of mine for quite some time and I finally got around to writing some parts that were fit for consumption, so to speak. I'm excited to finally publish this and I hope it will provide me with more inspiration as I continue to work. Thanks for reading._


	2. No Way Back

_For one day there will rise a Great Evil, and only those armed with the blessings of the gods can strike it a mortal blow._

* * *

Rei squinted into the horizon, rubbed the grit from her eyes, and spat a mouthful of sand back onto the ground where it belonged.

She'd spent her entire life on this dusty red planet, but there were some things that just never stopped being a nuisance.

Judging by the sun's position over the rugged mountaintops, she had a couple hours left of daylight. Unfortunately, she'd spent much of the day in this very spot, crouched behind a stand of desert scrub that overlooked a small watering hole.

Surely, prey would come.

Rei looked over her shoulder to check on her mount, whom stood obediently by a rock outcropping a short distance away. The warhorse, appearing content, was grazing on the succulents she had left for him. Satisfied, she turned her attention back to the watering hole, shifting her weight to retain feeling in her feet.

Rei was not a woman of patience. The infuriating nature of this hunt would have typically taken its toll hours ago. However, she was in no hurry to return to her clan's stronghold - and more importantly, to her father.

She spat again, just for good measure. Yes, she would take her time and then she would visit her grandfather, the thought of whom brought a small smile to her face. It had been at least a fortnight since she'd been in the Temple, and the spiritual haven was always a welcome reprieve from the grind of survival.

Movement in the corner of her eye drew her attention and Rei shifted, balancing on the balls of her feet as her fingers toyed with her bow string. A desert hare was approaching the water's edge, and by all appearances, looked to be a hale and healthy specimen. Perhaps Rei's rare bout of patience had been rewarded after all.

Silent and deliberate, Rei raised her bow, notching an arrow and taking aim at her quarry. She needed only seconds to measure the distance and just a few more to strike; the animal dropped dead at once, helpless against her accuracy. Rei was already on her feet and moving toward her catch before it had completed the last of its death throes.

Rei bent over the animal to inspect it, cursing at the effort it took to dislodge her arrow from its ribs. She frowned when blood clouded the water's surface, dark and distinct even against the sandy bottom. She yanked the corpse away, not bothering to dry it before attaching it to her belt.

She glanced toward the mountains. A passing cloud had obscured the already-setting sun.

Rei shook off the sudden chill that had sunk into her bones despite the desert heat. She'd been sitting out here far, far too long, she decided.

She whistled for her mount, and the well-trained warhorse heeded his master's call.

* * *

From his place in the Temple, high in the unforgiving mountains of Mars, the old man leaned back from the Fire and felt the weight of his years upon him. It wasn't like he hadn't seen this coming.

He had always known Rei was special and it had nothing to do with his familial pride. Ever since he had seen her, tiny and beautiful in her mother's arms, he had known. Hers was a unique destiny granted by the gods themselves, and the scroll from the Moon Kingdom that arrived mere hours after her birth had only proved his instincts right.

He saw it in how her spiritual powers - something her father had never possessed - grew in leaps and bounds throughout her childhood, far outpacing that of acolytes twice her age. He saw the aura, rippling and red, that would appear around her in the heat of battle or when she was overcome with emotion. And as awe-inspiring as it was to others, he knew it terrified her, and that she pushed it away. Rei would be controlled by nothing and by no one.

But despite her stubbornness, he knew that such sacred gifts could not stay buried forever. One day, Fate would come to collect Rei for her purpose. And as hard as it was, he would have to trust that someone else would take care of her when she was no longer just his beloved granddaughter, struggling to get by on a punishing planet while she lived - and would eventually die - by her blade.

The sound of heavy, purposeful footfalls alerted the old man to her presence, though he'd felt the burning of her aura long before. He lifted his gaze from the Fire in time to see Rei brush through the animal skins that hung in the small room's entrance, bending her powerful frame to avoid clipping her helmet on the red stone above.

Rei's figure was an imposing one. He took pride in his granddaughter's appearance and all that she represented. But his pride was not without a trace of sorrow, for her power had not been given freely.

Rei wore the traditional armor of their people, hard leather plates sewn together on a silk backing that covered her shoulders, back, and chest; beneath it, long sleeves of a leather tunic enveloped her arms. A leather belt encircled her waist, from which a formidable hunting knife dangled against her thigh. Beneath her armor, blood red pants were shoved into thickly-furred boots. Her helmet, a majestic piece of craftsmanship that indicated her rank, was adorned with a mane of horse hair that trailed down her back. Her shoulders, too, were crowned with the finest raven feathers, as the fearsome bird was the clan's revered totem. A thick bearskin cloak, taken from one of Rei's first kills and serving as vital protection from the elements, hung down to her boots.

Rei peeled away a cloth that protected her nose and mouth from the frequent sandstorms, revealing a smile. Her features were hard and angular; her dark brown eyes sharp and vigilant. But she possessed a feminine grace that was unusual among Martian women and almost ethereal.

The old man saw her often, but it was only now that he could hardly believe how much she had grown.

"Rei," he greeted, rising from his seat before the flames. He wanted to gather her into his arms, but she was no longer the little girl he remembered so fondly. He had to remind himself that she gone through her coming-of-age rites almost half a year ago. "How good of you to bring an offering," he said.

Rei snorted, loosening the hare from her belt and letting it slide onto the hard-packed floor. "This is for _you_, Grandfather," she corrected.

He chuckled, folding his arms across his chest. "I assure you that the acolytes keep me fed."

"Yeah, well, you know," Rei grumbled. She was a stubborn one, his granddaughter; she trusted only herself to get the job done right.

"I take it Father hasn't come to see you recently," she added, settling down beside him in front of the Fire. Her tone was conversational but carried an edge.

The old man sank a little farther into his robes, pulling them close despite the heat. "He is busy with war-related matters. I do not expect him to stop by the Temple."

A sideways glance at Rei revealed that her stormy expression was only getting darker. Eager to avoid such unpleasantness, he spoke again.

"He has never been interested in the spiritual arts; only the martial, of which he is proficient. But you, Rei, have always excelled at both." He paused; leaned forward to thread his wrinkled fingers through her soot-black hair. "If Ares himself had a daughter, you would certainly stand prouder than even she."

Rei blushed and gently pushed his hand away. "Please, Grandfather. Enough of that talk."

The old man smiled, then found himself struggling to keep it on his face. The pride that had risen in his chest had become a thickness in his throat. "I will miss you, Rei."

Rei shook her head as she stood. "You know I'll be back within a few days' time," she said with a bemused grin, her tone almost chiding. "We won't be leaving for another campaign quite yet."

"Of course," he replied. He swallowed. "Of course, Granddaughter."

The old man watched her go.

* * *

The sun was beginning to dip below the mountaintops by the time Rei made it back to camp, and though she was exhausted, the visit with her grandfather had kept her in good spirits through the long ride over rugged terrain.

As her men saw her approach, they stood from their cooking fires to hail her with friendly shouts. Rei raised a hand in acknowledgement, sliding off her horse as a young boy rushed forward eagerly to tend to her mount. Rei strode into the settlement, noting how her many of her troops were honing or crafting weapons. Though her victorious clan had returned to their ancestral home only a fortnight ago, battlelust was already starting to claim her men.

Rei waved aside offers of meat and ale, allowing the soldiers to keep their spoils. Unlike her father, Rei was not one to sit fat and satisfied upon her throne.

Rei frowned. Her post was nothing more than a thinly-veiled attempt to keep her satisfied while her father used her abilities for his gain. Now that she was older and wiser, Rei plotted her own rise to glory. The northern clan had already agreed to ally its forces with hers; with a few more key pieces in place, her mutiny held a realistic chance of success.

A curious sight stopped Rei in her tracks and she squinted, peering just beyond her settlement to where her father's men had camped. A space shuttle, the likes of which Rei had never seen, was parked in a clearing and ringed by a crowd of onlookers. And if the gleaming white hull was any indication, the ship was Lunarian in origin.

Rei realized, quite suddenly, that her men were watching her.

"My lord," a voice rasped behind her. Rei turned to face Khran, her second-in-command, who seemed all too eager to please. Khran was a loyal man, but rarely ingratiating; his demeanor set Rei on edge. He drew close for some semblance of privacy.

"My lord," he began again, as if steeling himself. "It appears the King is speaking with Lunarian dignitaries." He paused to allow his words to sink in, and perhaps to prepare himself for an imminent outrage. Rei merely narrowed her eyes.

"I don't know what my father is doing," she said curtly, "but I plan to find out."

"My lord!" Khran gasped, reaching for his commander and grabbing her by the arm before she could stomp off with her sword drawn. "Exercise caution in your approach."

Rei, irritated as she was by the delay, knew his words were wise. She calmed herself.

But what shook her was the apprehensive look in Khran's eyes. He was not a coward.

With a decisive grunt, Rei sheathed her sword and set off for her father's encampment. She tried to keep her steps casual and unhurried, but impatience soon won out and she broke into a light jog. She skirted around the edges of the camp, hoping to remain unnoticed as she worked her way closer. It proved to be an easy feat, as most of her father's men had gathered to get at look at the strange visitors.

Through the crowd, Rei examined the group of foreigners more closely, taking note of their brilliant white garb and the flashy, useless blades that they carried. Lunarian dignitaries? She stiffened. No wonder her men were anxious. She couldn't imagine that her father was pleased.

"You cannot refuse, Avernus." The woman who spoke was dimunitive, almost childlike compared to her escorts, and had dark hair with an oddly purple sheen. It stood in stark contrast to her skin, giving Rei the impression that she was not as human as she appeared. Rei also found it hard to believe that this child was the party's leader, but the authority in her voice was unmistakable.

The Martian chieftain appeared unconcerned, though his forehead was beginning to crease in irritation. "My daughter is invaluable to me," he said. "I will not allow her to leave this planet."

Rei would have rolled her eyes at her father's plastic affection, but was too shocked that the conversation was about her. What could they possibly want?

The woman - who was more like a girl, really - unfurled a golden scroll and held it open in front of Avernus. He couldn't read it, but the seal of the Moon Kingdom was unmistakable. It was a royal decree.

"You've been aware of these circumstances from her birth," she continued. "At her current age, she no longer belongs to you, but to Queen Serenity and her heir."

Avernus snorted and snatched the scroll away in defiance. The Lunarian guards pressed against their leader, hands on their swords, but the chieftan was not intimidated.

"If this comes down to force, we know who would win," Avernus growled. Like any Martian, he was not only prepared to trade blows, but eager to.

The girl nodded as if she expected his response. "And that is why we would like to negotiate."

She motioned to a couple guards, who reluctantly peeled themselves from her side and produced scrolls of their own. They proffered them to the war lord, hurriedly backing away once they were placed safely in his hands.

Avernus scowled, his temper flaring at yet more missives he couldn't read. "What is this?"

Business-like as ever, the girl continued, unfazed by his sour expression. "Though the Moon Kingdom has preferred to remain neutral in Mars' civil war, the Queen understands that the absence of your daughter is a great and profound disadvantage to your clan. To that end, she promises as many rations and supplies as necessary to sustain your people. With this royal aid, victory and the survival of your clan would all but be assured."

The king frowned. The thick creases in his forehead deepened. He turned to a subordinate; cleared his throat.

"She drives a hard bargain," he acknowledged in low tones.

Rei clenched her fists, fingernails biting into her palms. She was done being a spectator.

"Father, what is the meaning of this?" she demanded, forcing her way through and drawing herself up to her full height. She had a sturdy, compact frame like most of her kin, but her stature was nonetheless impressive for a Martian woman. The Lunarians, clearly startled, exchanged uncertain looks. One unpredictable Martian had been bad enough.

"Ah, Rei," Avernus's words were smooth and kind but his face remained drawn. "How fortunate of you to join us."

"Save it," Rei said sharply. "My business is with them."

The young girl regained her wits quickly, turning to face the indignant warrior with a winning smile. "How right you are, Mars," she said. "You're to come with us at once."

Rei scowled. "The hell I will! I don't know who you are or why you're negotiating with my father, but I don't like it. I'm not goods to be bartered."

The girl's smile disappeared and she narrowed her eyes, exhaling through her nose and crossing her arms tightly across her chest. Rei raised an eyebrow, wondering if a temper tantrum was imminent.

"All right," she began, looking Rei square in the eye. "You are needed on the Moon for a very important purpose. And there is no one else capable of fulfilling this role aside from your fellow peers, but even then, the unit cannot function without all of its members. You have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fight with those who are your equal; to possibly gain leadership of an elite and special force. No, it's not just an opportunity, Mars - it's destiny."

A silence settled over the camp, punctuated only by stray whispers of her clansmen as they gossipped amongst themselves about this new development. Rei narrowed her eyes. Let them talk - this was a fool's errand and she would not be embarrassed in front of her own people.

"I'll decide what my purpose is," she stated matter-of-factly. She drew her sword to emphasize her point. "And I belong to no one but myself."

The girl sighed and her shoulders slumped in defeat. "Well, I figured as much, but it was worth a shot." She turned to the guards that flanked her sides, motioning them into action with a quick signal. The men drew their own blades, rushing the Martian with fierce yells and twin expressions of determination.

Rei crouched and angled herself toward the guard that approached first, knocking him off balance with a well-excuted sweep of her leg. As he fumbled about to regain his footing, Rei stared at him dispassionately before sending the butt of her sword crashing into his skull, relieving him of his consciousness.

Anticipating that her other attacker would try to engage her from behind, Rei spun and introduced her elbow to his face with a brutal, instinctual jab. Before the guard could stumble and fall, clutching his bloodied mouth in disbelief, Rei's fist connected with the side of his jaw and sent him reeling head-first into the desert sand.

The crowd roared in approval at their princess's prowess and Rei smirked, sheathing her blade. She hadn't broken a sweat. The Lunarians would need more than a couple of lackeys to persuade her to their cause.

"Excellent, Mars," the girl said in a breathless whisper. Rei started, surprised in spite of herself; she had not heard the child approach and she now stood mere inches away. "I would have expected no less of you," she continued, her mouth stretched in the same too-sweet smile.

"But now you have to deal with me."

Rei snorted, but the last thing she saw was the girl raising a fan-like weapon high above her head.

* * *

Luna pinched the bridge of her nose between her thumb and forefinger and exhaled.

How, exactly, did _she_ get stuck going to Mars?

As she watched a Lunarian guard carry Rei's unconscious form into the shuttle - as well as those of the soldiers she had felled - Luna sighed again. Artemis didn't know how lucky he had it, and she intended to give him an earful about that as soon as she was moonbound again.

With the hatch closed and everyone aboard, Luna moved to tell the pilot that they were ready for takeoff. She glanced out the window on her way down the narrow corridor, watching as a crowd of Martians milled restlessly around the shuttle and argued amongst themselves. Their chieftan remained motionless, his eyes locked on the vessel and his expression undecipherable.

Too late, she thought, but traces of pity stole through her heart all the same.

"Captain," she called, poking her head around the corner and into the cabin. "Get us out of here, please."

"Yes ma'am!" came the sharp reply, and the shuttle's engines hummed with life.

As she waited for liftoff, Luna slumped against a nearby wall, allowing the exhaustion of the day's events to catch up with her. Staying in this human form for so long was tiring, and engaging a Martian in combat was hardly an easy feat. Luckily for Luna, she had more than a few tricks - and a little bit of Mau magic - up her sleeve.

The question, of course, was what to do with said Martian when she awoke. And judging by the loud, insistent footsteps that rang closer by the second, Luna guessed she was about to find out.

She better get a vacation out of this.

* * *

With one hand on his collar and the other pressing a blade against his back, Rei pushed the Lunarian guard along ahead of her.

"Take me to the girl," Rei growled.

"M-Mistress Luna, you mean," the man stuttered, nearly tripping over his own feet.

"Whatever!" Rei snapped, her temper at a fever's pitch. "I've got some unfinished business."

Rei didn't care that she had lost the fight. In fact, she refused to dwell on how she had been bested by an impudent, Lunarian brat. She wasn't going anywhere and that was that. If she had to take control of the ship herself, she'd do it in a heartbeat, nevermind that she knew little about the technology itself.

Rei yanked the knife away from the guard's back as the child - Luna - came into view. She pushed the man aside like a ragdoll, ignoring how it made her tender head throb. Without wasting another second, she stormed over to Luna, grabbed her by the front of her tunic, and hoisted her high.

"What the in the _seven_ hells are you doing with me!"

Admirably, the girl kept her composure, not looking rattled in the least. "Taking you to the Moon, of course," she said as if they were conversing about the weather.

"And what if I don't _want_ to go to the Moon?" Rei hissed, tightening her grip.

Luna smiled widely; tapped Rei's nose with a playful finger. "You don't _get_ to refuse."

Rei stared into that infuriating face for a moment more before releasing her hold in a huff, beyond frustrated and already impatient with every last moron on this ship. Luna's youth was the only thing that prevented her from putting a revenge fantasy into motion - but just barely.

"It won't be as bad as you think," Luna said mildly, standing next to the Martian but careful to keep her distance. "You'll be with others like you."

"There won't be a damn Martian on that rock and you know it," Rei snapped in response. She crossed her arms and drew her bearskin cloak closer, taking comfort in its softness and familiar scent.

Luna shook her head. "That's not what I mean. Surely, Mars, you've known your whole life that you were...different."

Rei stared ahead and out of the window in front of her, fixing an unseeing gaze on the stars as they whizzed by. She clenched her teeth.

"You know nothing about me," she said, and a threat lay coiled beneath her words like a snake waiting to strike.

Moments of silence passed that Luna chose wisely not to interrupt.

"If you turn around," she said finally, "you can still see Mars."

Rei had a half a mind to be stubborn and hold her ground, but a morbid desire to see her home for the last time got the best of her. She glanced over shoulder, the rest of her body following suit when she pinpointed the red planet among the inky blackness.

As Mars shrank out of sight, Rei was strangled by an odd sort of longing that welled up within her chest. Mars had not been kind to her, but it was all she knew, and she already missed the flames and the ever-present grit in her mouth.

Rei fingered the edges of her cloak, trying once again to draw reassurance from its familiar weight upon her back.

This had _better _be worth it.

* * *

_Rei._

The voice was insistent; agitated. Her vision was fading in and out with a slowness that made it terrifying, punctuated by a dull pain in her head that throbbed to match. The taste of blood was strong in her mouth; the acrid scent of smoke and burning flesh inescapable. A beloved face, once familiar but now faded from time, was blank with death and all she could see.

_On your feet, soldier_ and she was lifted by a strong hand. She struggled in vain, overcome by her assailant's strength and the weakness that threatened to drive her back to her knees -

"M-Mistress Mars."

Rei's eyes slid open and she shook off the restless thoughts that had turned into dreams. She wasn't sure how she'd managed to fall asleep, but it was a safe assumption that Luna's blow had rattled her brain around a good bit. Regardless, she wasn't in the mood to be interrupted, cursing under her breath as she rolled her neck until it gave a satisfying crack. She fixed the guard - the same doddering fool from before - with a withering glare.

"What."

The guard swallowed, reaching up with trembling fingers to adjust his collar. "Ah, w-well, we've finally landed. Mistress Luna would like to welcome you to the Moon."

"Wonderful," Rei replied, letting her eyes close again. The pain in her temples had returned; just what was that stupid fan, anyway? "I'll just be in here."

"Oh no you won't!" a sing-songy voice disagreed with cheerful abandon. Luna poked her head around the corner of the small room's doorway, relieving the poor soldier of his post. "Surely you didn't come all this way to hide inside a ship," she added with a childish pout.

Rei huffed. "I'm not hiding. I'm making a conscious decision to keep to myself."

"I can see it now," Luna intoned, spreading her hands apart in a dramatic gesture. "Rumors spreading far and wide about the cowardice of the Martian princess on the Moon..."

Rei was on her feet immediately, nose wrinkled at the idea of her being a coward and especially at being a princess. She brushed past Luna, intent on storming out of the ship despite possessing only rudimentary knowledge of her surroundings. Rei snorted as she slid open the ship's hatch. She could navigate the deserts of Mars during a sandstorm; surely the Moon couldn't present a challenge greater than that.

Everything was white. White earth, white buildings, and white sky melded together to burn into Rei's corneas. She blinked rapidly, shielding her eyes from the glare and almost tripping down the ship's steps. Dazed and disoriented, she shifted her gaze to the blue-black sky above - a welcome reprieve from the blinding scene around her - but even that was a strange sight, unblemished as it was with a distinct lack of stars.

Before she could attempt to scour the sky for familiar constellations, Rei's knees buckled and she gasped, a hand flying instinctively to her throat as she struggled to inflate her lungs. Luna's voice cut through her wheezing, frantic and apologetic.

"Here, take these! I'm sorry, I forgot to give them to you before." Luna was kneeling next to her, with a steadying hand on Rei's shoulders and the other extended, two bright blue capsules resting in her palm.

Rei eyed them with suspicion. "Yeah, no thanks," she coughed.

Luna gave her a no-nonsense look that Rei had already become familiar with. "I know you don't trust me, but you'll just have to take my word for it. These will help you adjust to the thinner atmosphere, unless of course you'd rather suffocate."

Rei paused. She peered at the cold, lifeless buildings around her; looked up at the blank and empty sky that reflected it. If she closed her eyes, it all combined to leave a ghastly green after-image.

"Maybe I would," she deadpanned as she reached for the pills.

Her ability to breathe restored and her eyes sufficiently adjusted, Rei was able to take in the sights without squinting in pain. They appeared to be in a royal shipyard; she didn't have to look far to find the Moon Palace. The imposing - but beautiful - structure rose high above the city, its smooth towers capped with grandiose domes and twisted spires that stretched to the heavens. The surrounding buildings were more modest, but no less attractive - and no less white. The architecture was one of quiet opulence, but save the Temple, it was the grandest structure Rei had ever seen.

It was going to take some getting used to.

The sound of hooves and snorting drew Rei's attention at once, and she whirled around in shock to find a Lunarian soldier struggling to lead her mount out of the small ship's cargo bay. For the second time in only a few minutes, Rei could hardly believe her eyes.

"Nakung!" she cried, rushing to embrace her steed with a childlike joy that had Luna staring after her with surprise. Rei looped her arms around the horse's muscular neck as he knickered softly, lips brushing her shoulder. As much as she had detested the ride to the Moon, she was sure he'd disliked it even more.

"We'll take him to the royal stables if that pleases you, Mistress Mars," the guard offered.

It took a moment for his words to process; Rei was still shocked, and more surprising still was the respect she continued to receive from the Lunarians. "That'd be fine," she agreed. She gave Nakung an affectionate pat on the rump, a promise to come visit him later. She turned to Luna, raising an eyebrow.

"Nice attempt to butter me up by bringing my horse," Rei said dryly. She fell in next to Luna, who had started walking and gestured for the Martian to follow.

"It was your father's idea, actually," Luna admitted. "Apparently he called over one of the guards while we were doing flight preparations and insisted we take him."

It took Rei a moment to find her voice. "Ah," she said, clearing her throat. "It figures Father would unload as much responsibility as he could."

Luna said nothing and just smiled.

* * *

As the odd-looking duo approached the palace proper, stepping out into paved city roads from the isolation of the shipyard, Rei began to realize that the city was much livelier than she had first seen. The roads were lined with merchants and filled with civilians bustling about their business. More surprising still was the diversity of those in the crowds, and Rei began to wonder if she would see some of her countrymen on the Moon after all.

Her hopes were dashed, however, when she began to notice the whispers. They were scattered at first, just a word or two here and there; but they soon picked up in volume and intensity. Wherever Luna and Rei walked, a gaggle of onlookers stared and sometimes followed, amazed by the stranger in their midst.

"Lookit there! A barbarian."

"She must be from the backwater planet."

"Is she a prisoner? She looks mighty dangerous."

Rei had been on the Moon for what felt like five whole seconds, and apart from the palace's grandeur and the strange respect from the guards, she was unconvinced. She wanted to snarl or otherwise silence the crowd with a display of her brute strength. But she assumed that would only make her look more like a beast fit for capture, and so instead she settled for sending glares in the direction of those who dared to whisper. That seemed to stop the gossip just as effectively.

"All right!" Luna chirped, bringing them to a stop and clapping a hand on Rei's shoulder. They stood now in front of the Moon Palace steps, and for the second time, Rei was overwhelmed by its immense presence. It only served to make her feel more out of place. "I'm rather tired, so I'm going to leave you with a capable guide."

Rei watched in open-mouthed astonishment as Luna's small form morphed and dwindled until a black cat stood where a girl had been. Too shocked to speak, she could only watch as the animal gave her a saucy wink before bounding off.

She was in strange and unfamiliar territory indeed.

A clear, bright voice pulled Rei from her brooding and she whirled around, bracing herself for a fight. She relaxed - but only slightly - when she was greeted by a girl dressed in blue velvet robes that swallowed her slight frame whole. Short hair brushed her shoulders, black as night, and her skin was so pale that it was almost translucent. Her Lunarian was impeccable and unaccented, but judging by her appearance alone, she was no native.

"Welcome to the Moon Palace! I trust your journey went well?"

Though she wore a smile, the girl's eyes - so deeply black they were almost blue - studied Rei intently in feverish, academic interest. Rei felt rather like she was under a microscope, but supposed it was better than being mocked and derided.

All the same, she raised an eyebrow. "And you are?"

Flustered, the smaller girl blushed and took a step back, bowing rapidly in apology. "Please forgive my impropriety," she said. "I am Ami, princess and avatar of Mercury."

Rei digested this information. She knew little about Mercury and its people; only that they possessed unparalleled technological skill and yet did not use it to rule the other planets. "Mercury," she repeated.

Ami's eyes lit up again. "Yes. The others are waiting for you. I feel most fortunate to be the first to gain your acquaintance."

"Right," Rei said. "Others?"

Ami smiled. "Follow me."

* * *

Ami led Rei through a dizzying set of corridors, so sterile and so white that even Rei's finely honed navigational instincts began to fail her. Everything looked the same here, and even though her own planet was an unending sea of red, it was different; natural. Here, it was cloistered and synthetic, and Rei found herself longing for fresh air - or even just some slight variation within the setting.

At last they reached their destination, stopping in front of a pair of large oak doors that nearly stretched to the ceiling. Rei was surprised when Ami stepped forward and pushed through them with ease; her petite appearance evidently disguised a great strength.

"Mars has arrived," Ami called.

As Rei entered the cavernous room, she hardly took notice of the splendor around her. Stained glass windows, awe-inspiring in both their size and craftmanship, depicted familiar battles and scenes from the mythology those in the Moon Kingdom shared. Between each window, thick, luxurious banners spun from the finest of thread bore the insignia of the planets. In a final triumph of artistry, impressive marble busts sat beneath the tapestries, each honoring a different god of the pantheon with sculpting that was as reverant as it was masterful.

Rei's eyes, instead, were drawn to a pair of women seated comfortably at a long, ornate dining table. As was her nature, she sized them up, analyzing their potential strengths and weaknesses as foes.

The first woman was tall, muscle-bound, and formidable - Rei could see this, even as she reclined in her chair, still and silent like a tree in the forest. She was dressed in a simple tunic, muted green and brown in color, and her eyes themselves were a piercing jade. She possessed a roughly hewn kind of beauty, with sharp features and mud-brown hair loosely gathered into a ponytail that spilled over broad shoulders. She looked like a warrior, but more than that, she looked like a child of the wilderness.

Rei felt an itch begin beneath her skin. She wanted to test this woman.

"I am Makoto," the barbarian said. "I hail from the great planet of Jupiter. May Zeus bless you and strike down your foes."

Rei nodded stiffly, now aware that the Jovian was sizing her up as well. Let her look, Rei thought, straightening her back. Let her witness the glory of Mars.

She shifted her to gaze to the other woman, who was eating decadently from a bowl of fruit and eyeing Rei with interest as she did so. Rei felt again as though she were being inspected, but in a much different manner than the way Makoto and Ami had looked at her.

This woman wore nothing but a simple white dress, and one that clung to every inch of her lithe, shapely frame. Though her skin was a shade darker than Rei's, long blond hair cascaded down her back, nearly shimmering in its brilliance. She was soft, smooth, and sun-kissed, but her light brown eyes possessed a calculating hardness that Rei found unsettling.

The blond smiled, dazzling and disarming.

She was the most beautiful woman Rei had ever seen.

"I'm Minako," she said, her voice rich and musical. "What's your name?"

Rei shifted her weight, uncomfortable and irritated. Something about this woman's flippant attitude set her on edge; disgusted her, even. Why was she dressed so immodestly, anyway? This whole affair was making her headache grow into a full-fledged migraine.

"Why do you care?" Rei asked, uncaring as to how petulant she sounded.

Minako's hand paused on its way to her mouth. She looked at the Martian.

"Because we're supposed to be _a team_. Do you even know why you're here?"

Rei frowned, choosing to dodge the question with one of her own. "You didn't tell me where you're from."

Minako took a bite out of her mango, giving the not-so-subtle impression that this conversation was beneath her. "I can't understand you. Your accent is thick."

"She's Venusian," Ami said quietly. "She's been on the Moon longer than any of us."

Venusian. Of course. Rei's expression soured further; she should have known. Venus was the gem of the kingdom and where the sun shone brightest, as the saying went. It was lush and extravagant, prosperous on its own but also showered with wealth and attention by the Moon. Its people had never been left wanting, and as Rei watched Minako nibble delicately at her fruit, she knew she had never gone hungry a day in her life.

Rei's temper rose to the occasion. "Where you're from or how long you've been here doesn't make you any better than me."

Makoto, sensing the tension in the air, leaned forward in anticipation.

"Please," Minako smiled sweetly, ignoring the comment and gesturing to the chair beside her. "Have a seat, Mars."

"I'm fine with standing," Rei replied, her voice low. "I've never led a sedentary life."

Minako laughed and it was a maddeningly melodious sound. "So it's true what they say about your people! We'll just have to see if your bite can live up to your bark."

Rei bristled as Ami and Makoto watched, taking care to remain quiet. Even the barbarian had decided to stay out of this one. "It's more than enough to handle you," Rei growled. "Or would you worry about breaking a nail?"

A silence, heavy and thick, settled into the room.

Minako slipped out of her chair with a liquid grace. She was tall and slender for a woman, at least by Martian standards, and she moved with feral, feline ease. As her pulse roared in her ears, Rei watched Minako approach. She wanted to strike the curious half-smile from that pretty face, but she was rooted where she stood, reduced to looking on defiantly.

Minako stopped just short of her target; reached across the distance to trace the Martian's chin with her thumb and forefingers. It was the barest of touches, but it burned Rei's skin and she wanted to grab that hand. Crush it.

"Tell me your name," Minako said again.

Rei willed the red to recede from her vision. She would have plenty of opportunities to best this woman. For now, she should focus on representing her maligned planet as well as she could. She wrestled with the last of her pride before she finally spoke.

"Rei," she said, her voice choosing the most inopportune moment to crack. She cleared her throat, brushing off the embarrassment; her eyes bored into Minako's, assuring the other woman she was unafraid. "It's Rei," she repeated.

Minako's smile grew. She repeated the unfamiliar word, rolling it around on her tongue. Rei hated the way her name sounded while wrapped in the Venusian's accent, all languid and sensual and unbecoming for a warrior.

"_Well_," Minako said, satisfied. "Would you like any fruit?"

"I'll pass," Rei muttered darkly. Minako shrugged and returned to her seat; Rei let out the breath she had been holding. Dammit, she _did_ want some of that fruit. She never did get a meal after visiting her grandfather.

Ami stood, her chair skittering across the marble floor in her nervous haste. "I think it best if I show Rei her quarters," she said, her voice high. "She hasn't seen much of the palace."

"By all means," Minako said easily, waving a dismissive hand before dipping it into the bowl. "Just remember that the Princess has requested a private audience with us for dinner."

Ami nodded. "Of course." Turning to Rei, she offered a shaky smile. "Shall we?"

* * *

Minako watched the unlikely pair exit the great hall, chewing thoughtfully on her mango. She quite enjoyed the taste, for it was her favorite. So absorbed was she in her thoughts, however, that she hardly noticed it.

The sound of knuckles popping echoed in the room, a rude and loud interruption that dragged Minako from her reverie. She glanced at Makoto, who was leaning back in her chair with a fierce smile.

"She looks tough," the Jovian said, cheerful in her lust for battle. "I'm eager to see her skill."

Minako swallowed. "She's scrawny," she countered. "And decorates herself with dead animals. It's repellant and bizarre."

Makoto opened her mouth to speak, but said nothing and allowed the comment to pass unchallenged. They both knew how skilled Martians were in their art, and their princess would be no exception.

Minako finished the mango, licking her fingers; her lips.

Rei was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen.

* * *

As Rei followed Ami through the ever-bland and winding corridors of white, she tried to force herself - unsuccessfully - to stop thinking about her encounter with the Venusian.

Part of Rei was irritated that Ami had whisked her away, but by the same token, she was also relieved. She had exercised an extraordinary amount of self-control by her standards, but there was no telling how long it would have lasted in the presence of that infuriating woman. Rei was hard-pressed to think of the last time she'd felt so condescended to and so humiliated. She was used to commanding loyalty from her men, grudging respect from her father, and fear from those unfamiliar with her planet. But this woman - Rei refused to acknowledge her name - had issued a challenge that the Martian seriously doubted she could back up.

Indeed, Rei sneered at the image of the blond fighting in an evening gown, wobbling on heels and trying to maintain the appearance of her all-too-perfect hair.

Satisfied, Rei turned her thoughts to Ami, who was scurrying along in front of her and maintaining a taut silence that was broken only by the swish of her robes. Given that Ami had been the first person on the Moon to show her any kindness, Rei realized she didn't want the girl to be uncomfortable around her. She tried to think of ways she could reassure the timid Mercurian as she paced through the halls, but Rei wasn't any good at such things and so she quickly gave up.

Rei shook her head, trying once and for all to clear it of her aimless musings. She'd never considered anyone a true friend and here she was, contemplating how to ingratiate herself to a near-perfect stranger. But ultimately, Rei supposed it only made sense to have an ally in this hostile place. There was nothing wrong with exercising a little military strategy, and Rei thus declared her motives purely pragmatic.

Ami came to a sudden stop and Rei scrambled to bring her own forward momentum to a halt, narrowly avoiding a collision with the smaller woman.

"This is it," Ami said, gesturing to the thick mahogany door before them. Rei had to admit that the choice of wood and its finish were to her tastes, and she wondered, not for the first time, just how much these people knew about her.

The two stood, unmoving, as they examined the entrance. Rei had expected Ami to retire to her own room, but it was obvious the other girl had something on her mind. Rei, for her part, was unaccostumed to such social awkwardness, but was thankful when Ami relieved the burden and finally spoke.

"It's silly, you know, that I expected everyone to get along right from the start," she said, sounding almost ashamed. "We're all very different people from very different places. It's only natural that things are going to be rough for a while. I just thought..." she trailed off, shaking her head. She looked up, meeting Rei's eyes with a small, sheepish smile. "I guess that's just what I wanted, really."

Rei stared, both unsure of how to handle this honest confession and surprised. She'd thought a Mercurian would operate much like their machinery: logical, precise, and cold. But the girl in front of her was almost trembling with emotion.

"I don't usually go looking for fights," Rei said in an attempt to explain herself. "They just come find me." On second thought, she realized, that hadn't come out so well.

Ami laughed, still sounding a bit nervous but this time more relieved. "Ah, well, it happens that way sometimes," she said awkwardly. Rei seriously doubted her expertise in such areas, but she appreciated the remark nonetheless.

With a curt nod, Rei stepped forward, wrapping her hand around the door knob and ready to enter her new dwelling. But Ami lingered and so she paused, looking at the other woman with a mixture of curiosity and impatience.

"Um," Ami stammered, staring at the floor. "If you ever have the time, well, I'm interested in Martian culture and would vastly appreciate your experience and insight," she finished in a rush.

Rei shook her head, amused and incredulous that someone lightyears away could care about that dusty rock. "Yeah, sure, I'll tell you whatever you want to know." Then, pointedly: "See you later, Ami."

Rei didn't wait for a response; she pulled the door open and slid into safety, certain that Ami was giving her numerous grateful bows behind her back. She couldn't help the long and relieved sigh that escaped her lips as she pressed her back against the door, closing it with a thud. All this social activity had far exceeded her tolerance for it, and she was in dire need of uninterrupted solitude.

On a whim, Rei grabbed her ankle, lifting her foot to get a look at the underside of her boot. She passed her thumb across the hard leather, still caked and stained with red earth. A thousand thoughts and a thousand memories passed through her mind, and when Rei finally released her foot, she made no effort to wipe her hands.

* * *

**A/N:** At last, the long-awaited (?) first installment. Many thanks to those of you who reviewed, added this story to your favorites/alerts, or even just read it without doing anything at all. Your support is greatly appreciated and I hope this chapter has whet your appetite for more to come. I can be a rather slow writer - as I'm sure you've noticed - but I'll keep plugging away.

What perils await in the next chapter? Meeting the Queen and Princess Serenity at a totally awkward dinner! Our up-and-coming senshi get their first crack at combat on the training grounds! And last but certainly not least, more sexual tension!

On a final (but no less important) note, I'd like to give a shoutout to trusuprise for being a great beta and even better friend. Related, I'd also like to dedicate this work to a group of wonderful friends whom I have been so fortunate to know. Y'all know who you are; this one's for you.


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